


In These Moments

by Dreamicide



Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-01-10 12:28:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 57
Words: 18,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1159757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamicide/pseuds/Dreamicide
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of flashfic gathered from my tumblr. Various prompts, characters, pairings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prompt: Fakir and Rue, games**

Fakir ran through the maze of brick walls and overgrown vines that made up the outskirts of town, knees battered and dirtied up along with his hands and disheveled hair. He caught a glimpse of her about half an hour ago. Ever since, he’d been dead set on losing her.

The pale hand resting in his grip offered no resistance as Fakir dragged his taller companion through the alleyways. If he kept this up, he would make a new record—

The thought was cut off immediately when a pair of bare feet came out of nowhere and slammed right into his head, sending the boy flying and bashing himself headfirst against the wall.

When he came to, she had already steadied herself on her feet, standing proudly and taking the prince’s hand into her own with a triumphant smile.

"Tag," she said. "I’m it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru - Strawberry Daiquiri**

His eyes were scrutinizing as he watched her give one measly sip of her drink and then leave it there for the rest of the dinner. When he asked her about it, she averted her eyes and toyed with her fingers sheepishly.

"I… I’msorryIdidn’treally… like it."

Fakir frowned. “Then why did you order it.”

At that, she turned back to the drink and looked at it as if it was an enigma. “Well, Pique and Lilie said that I should start trying these sort of drinks out, and when I asked if there were any sweet kinds, they told me to try this out, but…ittastesweird. More weird than sweet.”

"If you wanted something sweet then you should have ordered a milkshake."

"I’m sorry!" she repeated, looking every bit as guilty as she sounded. "But I… aaagh can you finish it instead?"

Eyebrow twitching, Fakir gave his answer without allowing a single beat. “No.”

"Why not?"

"I already know I wouldn’t like it."

"But it’s just sitting there!"

"So then drink it."

"I already said it tasted really weird and I didn’t like it!"

"What makes you think that would make _me_ want to drink it any more?”

"… Please?"

"No."

The strawberry daiquiri had by then completely melted before either of them could get to it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Prompt: Fakir finds Mytho wearing a dress, complete with corset (Rue wanted to see how he would look).**

At first, Fakir thought he merely opened the door to the wrong room. 

But when the delicate lady turned around and simultaneously turned out not to be a  _lady_ , he found himself stiffening in his spot. 

Friends had shared awkward anecdotes with him before, but in that second he felt he had them all quite honestly outmatched. 

But Mytho could only shrug off Fakir’s apparent petrification, his gloved hands experimentally measuring the forced curve of his waist. “…Fakir, were you aware how painful these sort of things were? And that it’s common for women to wear them? I want to know more about it.”

Fakir sputtered, obviously not giving much of a damn how painful the stupid contraptions were or what lengths women would go through to fit in the ridiculous dresses.

No, instead all he could do was storm out and swear underneath his breath to kill Rue the next time he saw her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Prompt: Fakir and Rue go on a mini, drabble-sized adventure together**

It all started when Lohengrin’s sword was stolen. Several months later, they were climbing the peaks of tall mountains, hair still wet from traversing through swamps and throats still dry from the deserts. 

"This is about," Rue huffed, keeling over from exertion and throwing Fakir a nasty glare, "the most sickeningly  _cliched_ story I have ever read.”

The man scoffed, still preoccupied with establishing a steady grip on one of the rocks jutting out from the climb. “Says the person who’s  _living_  in one.” 

Rue was halfway tempted to just kick his feet out from under him. Deciding better on that, she climbed past him, and shot back, “I’ve never did like the ridiculous genre.” 


	5. Chapter 5

**Prompt: Candles**

Ahiru couldn’t stop herself from grinning ear to ear. 

"It’s a dog!" she shouted, pointing at the large shadow dancing across the wall. "You’re making a dog!" 

Fakir nodded, not quite sharing her enthusiasm but amused with her nonetheless. He curled his hand into a fist, before hovering it over the flickering light of the candle and making another shape. 

This time Ahiru studied it for a bit longer, brows furrowed and lips pursed. When she had an idea, the smile once again spread across her face. “It kinda looks like Lilie’s hair a little,” she said, giggling slightly.

"Not anywhere close," Fakir replied. 

Ahiru didn’t look dejected, though. She only curled her legs under her like a pretzel and kept her grin up. “That’s okay. I’m still amazed, though—I never knew you could do this sort of thing. It’s really fun!”

That earned a shrug out of him. “Charon taught me a lot of these when I was a brat. Haven’t tried making any since then, though. It’s nothing to get excited over.” Of course, it wasn’t as if he could ever admit he enjoyed eliciting a smile out of her, no matter what the method. But the sentiment was still there.

"Well I still like it," Ahiru said. And then she began shifting in her seat. "Um… I still can’t figure out what that one’s supposed to be, though."

Fakir sighed to himself, the breath causing the flame of the candle to flicker wildly for a second. “It’s a  _knight_ , idiot.”

Ahiru tilted her head to the side, squinting at the shadow’s picture. She wasn’t seeing it, but for the moment she decided to just take his word for it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Prompt: Best way to spend a rainy day**

Fakir was sure that if Ahiru had lips, she would be frowning. 

As it was, he could only watch as the little duck sat before the windowsill, wings curled tightly to her body and feathers puffed out in what could only be described as the most adorable expression of disappointment. 

He stood behind her, eyes glancing out the window. After almost a month of sunny skies and warm weather, the sudden storm took the both of them by surprise that morning. Especially when she had been preparing for another day of relaxing out on the pond—instead she was greeted with the image of trees leaning over from the wind and rain plastering the windows on a harsh sound.

If he were the type to, Fakir would have laughed at her image. Instead he could only give the smallest of smiles, reaching down to scoop her up under the palm of his hand. 

"Come on, idiot," he said. "We’ll just find something else to do." 

Ahiru quacked in response.

Neither of them were able to foresee that the day would end with the both of them covered in flour and fruit filling after she tripped and fell in the mixing bowl, causing him to all but leap over the counter to pull her out of the sticky mess. 

They couldn’t foresee it, so it was with that that they took Charon’s suggestion of trying to make dinner for the night. **  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Prompt: Just can't take it anymore.**

Fakir stood at the edge of the large practice room, arms crossed and expression flat, as his classmates lining down the walls gave their every attention to the dancing partners. 

It was clear on everyone’s faces that they were impressed with how much the girl had improved since her enrollment. Mysteriously showing up to class out of nowhere and being a complete klutz, she had been the center of undesired attention for quite some time. But now, she was able to dance in a pas de deux with an intermediate student as if she had been talented all her life. It was amazing improvement, and the entire class had been first hand witnesses. 

Fakir was proud of her. He couldn’t stress that enough. 

That didn’t mean he had to like seeing someone else putting their hands on her waist and lifting her up in the air. Or keeping hold of the underside of her thigh as she fell back with the support of his arms. Or gaze into someone else’s eyes and lean in only to spin around at the last second. 

It was part of the choreography, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. 

When it was over, everyone clapped, Fakir included. Compliments were shared, and he watched as her face grew red and thanked everyone. Her partner shared those thanks, keeping his hand idly placed over her waist. 

Fakir kept his expression even for the entire duration. But as soon as the two departed toward the locker rooms, he decided that he just couldn’t take it anymore. 

Jealousy was an unbecoming emotion of his, and not one he was familiarized with. But Fakir figured he would learn to deal with it—as soon as he was through with catching Ahiru in the girl’s locker room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Prompt: Little Red Riding Hood retelling**

All her life, they told her to stay away from the woods. ‘Don’t go past the rocks that look like crowns,’ they said to all of the children. ‘There is a big bad wolf waiting there, and he will eat you without a second thought.’ 

Ahiru knew better than that, though. She knew, because every weekend she would walk right past the crown shaped boulders and sit down with her basket of food to wait for him. 

And no matter how many times Fakir said if he saw her again he wouldn’t hesitate to gobble her up, the wolf always appeared and sat down next to her. She would smile and hand him an apple. He would scowl and say he hated fruits but then eat it anyway. They could spend entire afternoons together, just as they had ever since she was a little girl on her way to her grandmother’s house. 

When a child disappeared in her village, everyone automatically blamed the wolf. They gathered together and rose their torches, leaving Ahiru to run through the woods as fast as she could to tell him to run away. 

But he stood there, frowning, and said that he wouldn’t leave unless she came with him. 

The demand startled her greatly. But when she heard the distant calls and shouts of the villagers, she was desperate to get her best friend out of there, and so she agreed to stay with him if he would just leave the woods before he was caught and surely killed. 

The wolf looked at her with scrutinizing eyes, but then promised that if she did leave with him, he would stay by her side forever. And she wouldn’t need to worry anymore. 

It was with that, that the girl nodded. She allowed him to carry her out of the forest, and from then on they decided to start their new life.


	9. Chapter 9

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru ice skating lessons**

"WAH—!"

The rest of her startled yelp was cut off the moment she slammed into his back, sending Fakir lurching forward as he tried remaining steady on his feet. 

Arms flown out, he turned around to glare at the girl behind him. “Idiot! Slow down!”

Pushing herself out from his back, Ahiru rubbed her nose. When she replied to him, her teeth chattered from the cold. “I—I—I don’t know _how_ , though! I just keep g——g-going!”

Fakir grumbled underneath his breath, spinning around to face her and reach for her arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Ahiru was immediately envious as she gripped on his wrists and allowed him to lead her.

When she watched the couple ice skating before, just the two of them in the entire rink, it looked exactly like a pas de deux. They spun and the man carried the woman and they did so much—Ahiru couldn’t help but want to try it out. And somehow, Fakir agreed. 

But… she could barely get herself to  _turn_! How would she ever be able to do one of those pas de deux with him? It was unfair. And definitely so at the fact that her partner had enough balance and discipline to be able to get the hang of it after only half an hour in the rink. 

"Just hold on to me," he said, but not forgetting to add ‘moron’ to the end. 

Ahiru grumbled, silently wondering to herself if it was possible for her to make him stumble forward and make his arms wave around like that again. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru, The Little Mermaid**

The beach was surprisingly quiet early in the morning. Nothing but the calm sound of waves languidly rolling over the shore reached Ahiru’s ears as she sat carefully on the large rock jutting out from the water. There was a mist filling the air, as well as the smell of salt stinging her nose. 

Most people didn’t like the beach in the mornings, when the sun hasn’t risen. But she knew there was only one person in the world that would come out there.

As she waited, the water beside her was disturbed by the swish of her tail, and she granted one longing look to the lower half of her body. Sometimes, if she imagined hard enough, she could replace her scales and fins with calves and toes. 

Deep in the back of her mind, she knew she should never talk to that mysterious Drosselmeyer. But sometimes, she really just wanted so bad…

Whatever her thoughts were manifesting into, they were suddenly cut off when she noticed a moving shadow amongst the thickness of the mist. And she immediately drew herself closer to the rock, hiding and yet watching with careful eyes. 

And then there he was, walking by the waves with his horse by his side. His face was calm as usual, allowing the sea water to brush by his feet.

Ahiru hid herself more strictly. Yes, she shamefully wanted to know what it was like to walk and dance, but for the moment, all she could do was allow herself to admire him from afar. 

And so she did, a soft smile on her face. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Prompt: Giving Birth**

The first time it happened, it was excruciatingly painful and Fakir never bothered to stitch up the tears he received on his shirt in result. 

The second time was just as painful and he wore that same red shirt, only to come out of it in little more than tatters and scraps. 

The third time held some improvement. He had the sense to buy a new shirt in the week beforehand, and was only expectant of it when she clutched at his sleeve and he held on for dear life. Hours after, he looked at the battlescars of her nails down his arm and the fact that his clothing now lacked an entire sleeve. 

The fourth time… wasn’t so bad. It was their first girl, and just like her mother, she was a small little thing. The most Ahiru needed for comfort was the grip of his hand around hers, and she managed. 

He was surrounded by their three sons as they stood at her bedside, all watching the small little bundle with awe. While the boys made faces and studied how little her fingers were, Fakir turned to his wife and caught her gaze. 

Her smile was soft at first, before it suddenly gained a mischievous edge and she lifted a hand up to his shirt, finding a good place to dig her nail and suddenly  _riiiiiip_ at the clothing.  

"A souvenir," she said as she retracted her hand in response to his eyebrow raising. "Proof."

Fakir gave the smallest of chuckles, smiling back. “Proof.”  


	12. Chapter 12

**Prompt: Fakir and Ahiru find the Ring of Power from Lord of the Rings.**

“ _Don’t touch that_ ,” Fakir repeated sternly, giving an exasperated sigh at the girl’s overwhelming curiosity over the piece of jewelry. 

Ahiru pouted, placing it back down on the table. “Mr. Drosselmeyer said that this was important to the story. Shouldn’t we try figuring out more things about it?”

"What we  _need_ ,” he said, gathering as much paper and ink as he could find, “is to get out of this damn story. Can’t believe I allowed him to get us trapped in yet another one…”

As he rambled on, Ahiru slowly found her attention once more being drawn to the ring. It was really pretty, and probably would look beautiful on a woman’s ring finger for her wedding or something. And the storyteller already said that they just needed to go throw it down a volcano—whatever that was—so why was it such a bad thing for her to look at it?

She decided that before they got rid of it, she would try it on. Just this once. 

So with that, she toyed with the golden band before slipping it over her finger. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Prompt: Pique and Lillie find out Ahiru and Fakir are together**

Fakir could only gape at her. 

"… You told them  _what_?”

"I’m sorry!" she shouted in the air before hiding her head underneath her hands. "It just sort of slipped out!" 

Fakir gritted his teeth, grumbling and trying not to pull his hair out. Before, he never cared about what that damn ‘faction’ did at school, as long as they left him the hell alone. But it wasn’t as if he was comfortable with them knowing very private details. “Slipped out,” he repeated after her.

"W-Well…" Twiddling her two index fingers together, she averted her eyes from his. "We k-kinda passed by a weird shop and then they became all happy and dragged me in and they were looking at all of the items a-and they found a pot of those aphrod—-aphr—-… afro things and I said I remembered having one and then they demanded  _how_ I knew and then started asking me more and more and more and… yeah…”

All the while her face grew more red, and she could sense him stiffening in his place with every word until they were both strategically looking at the floor and wall, the latter of which Fakir suddenly toyed with the idea of slamming his head against. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Prompt: Fakir runs into Ahiru in the girl’s locker room on a class trip.**

After what must have been at least several hours inside a cramped coach ride, the hot springs of Aachen were nothing less than a blessing. 

The professor told everyone to relax and explore as they wished for the entire Sunday, and Fakir took advantage of the opportunity to rest in the warm waters while everyone else spent their time touring the city. It was peaceful. Nothing like the dorm building showers, when they would get cold within ten minutes if so much as one other person on the same floor would be using their water supply. 

And so Fakir allowed himself to stay in as long as he wanted, sitting back and closing his eyes. He couldn’t stay in there forever, however, and so when he could feel his hands growing wrinkled, he stepped out and headed back toward the dressing rooms to change. 

Maybe he accidentally managed to get the two small rooms mixed up and chose the wrong one. That was Ahiru’s suggestion. Fakir preferred the explanation that it was  _her_ who chose the wrong dressing room and caused the impending mayhem. 

Either way, neither of them could see it coming when he stepped in and closed the door behind him, only to see a head of red hair and a completely bare back. And when that back suddenly began turning around, he shouted aloud before stumbling over himself to  _leave_. 

He couldn’t escape without hitting his head against the closed door first, however. And Fakir refused to give out explanations of the sudden red mark on his forehead for the rest of the weekend.


	15. Chapter 15

**Prompt: Labyrinth Crossover**

_I’ll be there for you as the world falls down…._

"I had a weird dream last night," she said one morning, pausing to give a yawn. 

Fakir reached down to set a plate of toast in front of her—after so many years of passing right by the eggs at the grocery, he was used to having none around—and cast her a glance. “It can’t be that much weirder than what you normally have,” he responded, the slightest curve taking on his lips.

"It  _was_ ,” Ahiru insisted. “You and I were dancing.” 

"What a preposterous idea."

"I’m serious!" Huffing, she leaned back in her seat and took an indignant bite out of her breakfast. Speaking between mouthfuls, she continued. "We were dancing, but not like normal. It wasn’t a pas de deux or anything, and I had this really big poofy dress and you had a mask…."

Taking his place across the table from her, Fakir waited patiently for her to keep going.

"You were also singing to me."

"Singing?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed, nodding. "And you were really good. Y’know," and then she paused to take a fork and point it right at him, "you should try singing, like for real sometime!" 

Fakir gave a quick ‘pff’ sound through his nose. “I don’t think so.” And then he reached over and took the fork right from her grip, and leaned back to start on his baked potato. 

Ahiru gave another huff with his maneuver, pursing her lips out in a pout. “Why not? I’d like to hear you!”

"I don’t  _sing_.”

Crossing her arms, Ahiru glared off away from him. It was a really nice dream, and it stood out in her mind more than anything else she had in years. Was it so bad that it gave her the idea? 

Casting a small glance back toward Fakir as he ate, she figured that someday she’ll goad him into singing for her. No matter how impossible it sounded in her head. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru- Are forced to take a cooking class together**

"…All right. Fine. Take that stupid grin off your face."

"Eh? Grin?" Ahiru asked, beaming brightly. "I’m not grinning." 

Fakir gave her a flat look, before reaching over to give the corner of her mouth a pinch and tug it down. “You are, and it’s making you look ridiculous.” 

Ahiru only flinched back and swatted his hand away, her expression quickly morphing into a pout. “Ow, jeez! You don’t haveta take it out on me ‘cause  _you’re_  the one who messed up the dish…”

Ignoring her words, Fakir turned back to glare at the plate in front of him. To the left, Ahiru’s dish sat neatly and looking surprisingly edible. Then there was his. 

"How the  _hell_  do you mess up a salad,” he spat, reaching out to take it and just throw the whole thing away. The entire situation was only made worse by the fact that he made passing comments to Ahiru and recalled how bad her cooking was throughout the whole period. 

Ahiru didn’t show any grudge for it, though. In fact she sounded rather chipper. “You even managed to  _burn_  it, somehow,” she said, trotting up behind him as he made his way to the trash can. “Maybe you glared at it too much.” Then she added as an afterthought, in what was almost her trying to comfort him. “It’s okay though! I keep telling you cooking isn’t that easy whenever you get on to me for messing up dinner and stuff. But now we can both practice together.”

Disposing the contents of what was only a salad in name into the trashcan, Fakir retained his unamused expression as she prattled on. He then turned around to give her a look, and his only response was to reach out and pinch at her mouth again. 

"I said stop grinning."

"Ow—!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Prompt: Windows**

When Ahiru suddenly fell ill and bedridden, Fakir stayed by her side and promised to take care of anything she asked for. Anything that he could help with when she was unable to move from under the piles of comforters that buried her. 

So then the next morning, Fakir found himself trudging up the stairs with a huge and heavy bowl of  _bird seed_  in his hands. It was not exactly what he had in mind, but Ahiru practically begged him—throat hoarse and everything—that he take over for her to feed the birds. 

Nudging the door to her room with his shoulder, Fakir stepped in and headed over to the window. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Ahiru peeked out from under the covers, her cowlick flopped over as if mimicking her sick state. 

"Thank you for doing this, Fakir…" she managed to choke out before interrupted with a fit of coughs. 

As he set the bowl down on the windowsill, Fakir shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just let me know if you need anything else.” 

To that, she gave a weak nod. And when Fakir reached out to pull the window open, she suddenly became alert and sat up straight in the bed. “Ah—wait! B-be careful! They might knock you over if you don’t—” but then the rest of her words were buried underneath even more hacking and wheezing as she leaned over, her fist clenching in the sheets.

Fakir had to roll his eyes a little bit. “Just get some rest, moron,” he mumbled before giving the handle of the window a big jerk. He honestly wouldn’t be surprised if a flock of birds could knock someone like Ahiru over, but the fact that she thought she would need warn  _him_  about it—

But whatever else he may have thought about was completely cut off the moment he opened the window, when a great dark cloud—no, those were birds—all but crashed into the room in a great big mass, knocking Fakir clean off his feet and landing to the ground. He gave a startled shout alongside a vulgar swear as his back hit against the flooring. The sound of wings and chirping filled the room, with birds fluttering about to pick at the seeds that were spilled all over. 

Ahiru could only throw her head into the pillows, and whether she was laughing or groaning, Fakir couldn’t tell. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Prompt: Breakfast.**

"…So Pique had to go to the nurse afterwards, and Lilie wants to go out and buy her some replacement toe shoes after class today."

"I see," Fakir said, placing Ahiru’s plate in front of her. She was always a chatty person around the clock, but her mouth could run for miles in the morning. As he went to sit across from her, Ahiru continued on. 

"Mmhmm, so I think we’re going to pitch in and surprise once her feet are all bet—" When she seemed to cut herself off for no reason, Fakir glanced up from his own breakfast. He was met with the sight of Ahiru staring at her plate, eyes wide and lips slightly parted. She then lifted her eyes to his, and he almost felt a chill running down his back at how pale she suddenly looked. "T-this…"

Confused, he looked back down to her plate. And then his insides froze upon the realization of the horrible implication. 

"Fakir how could you?!" Ahiru shouted, gesturing to the fried egg yolk before her. 

Fakir was quick to explain. It was almost ridiculous how frantic his mannerisms grew just to give her mind some peace. “It’s not what you think, idiot! It’s—” he wracked his brain for the proper term to use. It wasn’t as if any actual birds were killed for this, it didn’t even have a chick inside! “—unfertilized!”

Ahiru paused at the foreign word, her eyebrows drawing forth. “Un…”

Giving off a sigh to calm down, Fakir leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. “No one was hurt to get that egg, all right? I’m sorry for cooking it, I just… some people eat them. For breakfast.” 

Ahiru made a disgusted face. “W-well… I’m glad for  _that_  at least, but how would you feel if I expected you to eat a—!?” It was at that when she paused, however, suddenly realizing that she couldn’t think of a human parallel to what she was feeling. “Um… If I expected you to eat whatever humans lay!” 

Fakir almost scoffed. “Humans don’t  _lay_  anything.”

The revelation actually seemed to catch her off guard. “Wait… then what do they do?”

And all of a sudden, Fakir pretended not to hear her, going back to his own breakfast and stuffing a mouthful down his throat. 

Ahiru was persistent, though. “Wait, I’m serious! If humans don’t lay anything, then what do they do when they want chicks?”

"They don’t have  _chicks_ ,” Fakir snapped after swallowing. “And—and this isn’t a conversation you’re supposed to be having with  _me_!” 

Ahiru huffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Now you’re  _really_ confusing me.”

"Ask someone else about it."

"But you’re already here and you know and you’re not telling me for no reason!"

"Look, I’ll stop buying eggs, all right?!" Fakir had to barely hold himself back from shouting. 

And it only made Ahiru seethe. “That’s not what we’re even talking about anymore!”

Either way, from then on Fakir never bought another egg again.


	19. Chapter 19

**Prompt:** **Ahiru accidentally gives Fakir a new haircut**

  
Ahiru wasn’t going to do it, at first. She had no reason to—it wasn’t any of her business! But after she refused the first time, Lilie just wouldn’t drop the subject and begged her at every turn. 

"Oh, it’s just one pinch of hair! A small insignificant amount that won’t even be noticed or missed~!" she would say as she tugged on the red lock of hair that stuck out from Ahiru’s head in example. 

Ahiru didn’t understand it. What would Lilie need with Fakir’s hair? And why did  _she_  have to be the one to get it? Whenever Ahiru would turn around and ask, Lilie would simply giggle and answer, “It’s a s~e~c~r~e~t~!” 

The pestering lasted only for about a week before Ahiru finally gave in, though. Lilie squealed in delight when she conceded, immediately shoving a pair of scissors in her friend’s hand as if she had been carrying them everywhere just for the occasion. “Remember, just a little pinch! He won’t even notice it’s gone! And once you bring it to me, I’ll have a special present for you on the next full moon~!”

Ahiru was suddenly taken aback, her eyes wide and mouth opening and closing. “Wait—special present? You never mentioned anything like—”

“ **NOW GO~!** " Lilie shrieked, flying both of her hands out to shove Ahiru right in the back and sent her tripping down the hill, her legs giving out before rolling and arms sprawled with the scissors still clutched in her fingers. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that she was headed right for a thick tree, and slammed her eyes shut to brace for the impact. But then at the last moment, Ahiru felt something else break her acceleration—much more soft and warm. And it gave a pained grunt. 

"Idiot!" she heard her rescuer shout. "What the hell were you doing?"

Ahiru blinked up to see Fakir crouched down with his back to her, his arms spread out to stop her fall. Her face turned red. “Ah! I’m sorry! Did I—?” 

She reached out to touch his shoulder and lifted the hand with the scissors and a large wad of dark hair—

…

Wait. 

Ahiru blanched as her eyes went from her hand to the back of Fakir’s head, suddenly lacking a ponytail. 

"I—"

"Whatever. Are you all right?" he asked as he turned his head around. 

"I’M FINE!" Ahiru shouted frantically, whipping her hands behind her back and breaking out into a sweat. 

Fakir frowned. “What’s with you today?”

"N-n-n-n-nothing!" she answered, kicking her feet out and scrambling rapidly away from him. "Ehehehehe, w-well! Um sorry for crashing into you like that and getting your jacket dirty and um—I’d better get to class so—!" 

With that, Ahiru flailed to get to her feet and immediately ran away, feeling like her insides were frozen and wondering just what she was going to do.

Leaving Fakir sitting there at the bottom of the hill, his face showing the smallest hint of confusion. She had always been a strange spazz, but this was ridiculous.

"… Stupid," he mumbled before reaching up to run a hand through his hair. 

And that was when his fingers felt nothing but air. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Prompt: Fakir takes Ahiru out to have ice cream cake**

No matter how many times they ran their errands at the grocery market, Ahiru always found herself standing by the window of the pastry shop, admiring the treats while she waited for the bakery next door to set out freshly baked bread. She would rock back and forth on the heels of her shoes, a wide smile on her face as she watched the cakes being set out and counting each flower-shaped candy.

It was usually then when Fakir would appear with a basket in his arms full of vegetables and fruits and meats, and then they would walk back to the blacksmith’s together. 

Only this time, he merely stopped and stood by her, observing the fascinated expression on her face.

And after a minute, he gave an awkward cough. “… Should we get one?”

Ahiru started, turning to Fakir and blinking owlishly. “Eh? But I—” She cast a glance back over to the cake set out in the window, decorated with yellow and green ribbons of frosting and small blue flowers. “I didn’t bring enough money.”

Fakir merely shrugged, already taking a step forward over to push the door open. “I didn’t say you were going to pay for it.”

“But—!” Ahiru protested, reaching a hand out. “Fakir, it’s all right—I’ll just buy one later!”

“You haven’t had one before now, right?” he said, not looking at her. “So come on. It’s not a big deal.”

At that, Ahiru was left just a little bit stunned. But then her gaze fell to her feet, and she murmured, “No, I… I just wanted to know if they tasted good. That was all.”

Finally turning around to look at her, Fakir released a breath before holding the door out to her. “Idiot. That’s the entire reason why I’m buying it in the first place. So come on.”

It took a while, mostly with Ahiru pestering Fakir to know what he thought of cake—to which he said he didn’t like it at all and then stepped inside the cake shop in the same breath—but eventually They were sitting in one of the small tabled in the back of the store, Fakir placing the baskets on the table and Ahiru with a small slice on a plate.

But as it turned out, in the end she ate what turned out to be an  _ice cream_  cake entirely too fast and gained headache after headache. And ended up not eating that specific type again.


	21. Chapter 21

**Prompt: From behind the curtain came the unmistakable sounds of slamming the glistening flesh sweet potato.**

Fakir had made a habit over the years to jot down phrases and sentences that came to him in the middle of the night. They were always scribbled in his messy handwriting and usually made little sense to any other than him, but it was to be expected when he would sometimes wake up at three in the morning for it. 

The only problem was that it sometimes jostled Ahiru when she was sleeping. Not because he made excess noise while he wrote or anything—but because Ahiru had made a nighttime habit as well. Every night, after they had gone to bed, she would blearily get up out of her basket and waddle over the desk and to his bedside before making herself comfortable in her favorite spot—the space between his head and neck as he lolled his head to the side, snoring loudly. 

Whenever a ping of an idea would hit him in the middle of the night, Fakir would start straight up in his bed and throw the covers off to get to his desk. And then Ahiru would be in lack of the support of his neck, leaving her to roll down his pillow and fall onto his mattress with a startled squawk. 

It always left her in a bad mood in the morning. 

Fakir never caught on to the cause of her irritability, seeing as how he was always half asleep and thus completely unaware of her presence in his bed, but he always offered to let her read his scribbled notes over breakfast. He did as such one morning, pushing the notebook across the table and in front of the duck. 

Her eyes were weary from lack of sleep, but drooped down to decipher his handwriting. 

Reading his babble about sweet potatoes didn’t exactly enlighten her spirits, and she turned away with an unamused quack. 


	22. Chapter 22

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru - arranged marriage**

It was a deal she unwittingly made with a sorcerer - the small duck could become a human for the rest of her life, if she married his great-grandson—a deal Ahiru gladly took without considering the consequences. But the wedding was anything but bliss, with their arguing and insulting and even getting into a small physical scuffle. It took several months before their marriage was consummated, and through the days of banter and huffs and eyerolls, she found that it was surprisingly welcome and warm to be held in his arms. 


	23. Chapter 23

**Prompt: Ahiru/Rue - dance lessons**

Even though Ahiru may have slowly been improving, they like to dance a pas de deux together with Rue in the lead every once in a while. It was a good form of exercise, leaving them working up a sweat and exhausted, but full of smiles. The dance would end with a cool-down stretch session, with assisting hands wandering and kneading on taxed out muscles.  


	24. Chapter 24

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru Teacher/Student AU (Part One)**

The first thing Fakir notices over the rim of his coffee mug is that Ahiru looked much more cheerful than usual. Not that it’s unusual for the girl to be cheerful—far from that. But he’d assigned the class to finish a new book and that meant more tutoring sessions, more drawn out confusion, and more of listening to her completely miss the point, despite how hard she’s trying in this class, really trying.

“I actually kinda liked this book!” Ahiru chirped as she set her messenger bag down on the table and pulled out the chair across from him. “I didn’t know all the popular symbolic literature stuff could have fun kid’s books in them too.”

That earned a raised eyebrow out of Fakir as he put down his coffee over the brown ring that had etched itself into the desk. “You thought that was a children’s book.”

Still smiling, Ahiru reached into her bag to draw out the text. “Well, yeah. Wasn’t it? It had talking animals and everything. I didn’t fall asleep when reading it!”

This was going to be a pain.

“That’s not exactly it. This is  _Animal Farm_ , a satire written by George Orwell. It’s not just something silly for kids to read; it’s an analogy of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, and a criticism of Stalinism—”

“EHHHH?!” Ahiru’s jaw practically dropped to the table. “That’s—! Nu uh, there’s no way that’s really it! It had talking animals and I liked it a lot!”

Fakir reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “A text isn’t required to be boring and put people to sleep in order to become a classic.”

“But what if that’s really it, though?” She crossed her arms and jutted her bottom lip out. “What if that’s really all Mr. Orca wanted it to be, a simple story about animals that take over their farm?”

“It’s  _Orwell_. And there’s no  _question_  what his real intention was.”

“Liar, you’re always saying different people take different things out of literature all the time and that there’s no one answer to interpretations! Well I interpret that it’s not really an allergy to the Blasphemy revolution and just about talking animals.” Ahiru crossed her arms.

Fakir gave her a flat look. “Enjoy failing your paper due next week, then.”

“…Erk.” She stiffened up, remembering the syllabus. Then her shoulders drooped as she all but flopped in her seat, laying her head on the desk. The next words came out muffled. “…Mm. Um… so what was that whole thing with the revolution?”

He sighed, pulling out his notes. “All right. Listen carefully.”

This was going to be a real headache, Fakir could already feel it.

He needed to stop by the grocery store and stock up on coffee on his way home.


	25. Chapter 25

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru Teacher/Student AU (Part Two) Valentine's Day**

Fakir stares at the duck-shaped yellow card in his hand. It depicts said duck holding a bright red heart with the words “you drive my heart quackers,” and a lollipop taped to the side.

His eyes roll up to the girl who just handed it over. “What is this.”

Ahiru flashes a beam that he swears doesn’t weaken his knees. “A Valentine card! Don’t tell me you forgot it was today, did you? I thought I saw some letters on your desk earlier…”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Fakir prays it’s enough to hide the redness that’s threatening to overtake his face. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

This time her lips purse, and Ahiru holds up the plastic bag in her hand and gives it a shake. There’s an entire hoard of what appeared to be candy and cards in there. “Definitely not! I’m giving one to everyone I know today.”

Ah. So it’s not a special gift just to him. He should have known.

“People stop giving store-bought cards to everyone they associate with after elementary school. Then they give gifts to—” Why the hell is his tongue tripping up all of a sudden. “—ones who are more special.”

At that, Ahiru gives a shrug, one side of her braided twin-tails draping down over her shoulder. “Everyone I know is special to me. And ah… well at first I wasn’t really sure I liked you at all cause you yelled a lot during lectures and I could never understand the class no matter how hard I tried and you even called me a moron and stupid and that was really really mean but after you started offering tutoring—” She takes a breath, and once she realizes her hands started twiddling together she drops them at her sides. Taking another, her next smile she gives him is smaller, gentler. “I mean, now I don’t really think you’re a bad person anymore. You can be really nice sometimes. ‘N I don’t feel so bad about going to tutoring. So when I give you a card, it means you’re special to me, too!”

Fakir must be coming down with a cold. That was the only explanation he could provide as to why his face was so red and his heart rate was so fast and he felt so light.

“Well,” Ahiru takes the plastic bag in her hands again, “I hope you have a really good day! I gotta go give some to Rue and Mytho now. I promise I won’t be late to the next lecture, too.” And with that she scampers off, hair whipping about in her wake.

Her stupid little duck card is the only one he keeps.


	26. Chapter 26

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru Teacher/Student AU (Part Three)**

Several hours later and Ahiru’s card is the only one left on his desk. It’s tucked strategically in the corner, over his inbox so that Fakir could explain its presence by stating it was trash he would soon throw out. If anyone dared ask.

He’s propped over one hand pressing his temple and the other scribbling critiques in the margins of essays in red ink, when she bursts through into his office unannounced. Her messenger bag flaps behind her as she bounds in. He doesn’t see her expression as he’s not looking at her; by now he’s grown used to this particular student visiting his office at inopportune times.

“Professor I forgot something really important!” she wheezes out in one breath.

He sighs, pausing in his writing to reach for his coffee mug and brings it to his lips. “I’ve already graded your essay, if that’s what you think it is.”

Ahiru shakes her head. “No, not that, I forgot to give you a kiss!”

Fakir abruptly spits his coffee over the desk.

“Wha—you— _what_!?”

“Actually I already visited everyone else, so I can give you lots of kisses—”

Fakir doesn’t see Ahiru reaching into her bag because he’s too busy scrambling out of his chair. In his peripheral vision he can see her stepping closer. Closer, even.

Panicking, he all but throws himself to the wall just behind his chair. Facing it. Hands behind his back.

Professional. Right.

Fakir starts blurting out words that almost sounds as if he must have given thought to this situation before and recited dutifully.

“Listen you are a student of my class and I am in a position of authority therefore I cannot condone inappropriate relations as it goes against the Student Code of Conduct—”

“… You mean I can’t give you some chocolate?” Her voice practically gives away her shoulders sagging.

What.

Fakir dares to turn his head to see Ahiru holding a fistful of chocolate kisses. She looks saddened.

“I thought it wouldn’t be a bad thing to give you some, but…”

“… Moron.”

Ahiru frowns. “Doesn’t it go against the Student Code of whatever to call your students mean names?” Because it should.

“Just…” He’s trying really hard not to blush. Keyword being: trying. “Just leave them there. It’s fine.”

Ahiru blinks. “But I thought…”

“Never mind that,” he blurts, averting his eyes. Oh. He’s going to have to clean up the coffee from that pile of essays, isn’t he.

When the information sinks in, Ahiru’s eyes practically sparkle and she throws him yet another one of her trademark grins. “Really? Great! I made sure to get some dark chocolate kind, so I hope you really like them!”

She remembered that offhanded comment he made about chocolate preferences all those months ago?

“Ah. Right.” He stands there, dumbfounded, as the redhead all but dumps a pile of chocolates on his desk and bounds out with a wave.

He ended up not throwing those away, either. 

 


	27. Chapter 27

For countless years he had been Mytho. Now he is Prince Siegfried. With his name, comes his memories. Rushing, filling, overwhelming him. He doesn’t acknowledge the overflow until long after the battle has ceased.

“Princess Tutu,” he says fondly, carefully holding the injured duck in his hands, “is such a small and fragile creature. I had only met the previous for a few mere moments between the pages. She deserved far more of an existence… one I believe you gave justice to.” He gives her another bow.

Then, he turns to Fakir. “Ah, the knight.”

“The knight reborn,” Fakir corrects quietly.

“Of course.” Siegfried smiles, still softly stroking the young duck’s cowlick feather. “As a matter of fact, you are much different from the man I knew back in the story.”

This clearly catches Fakir off guard. Perhaps it was because he never expected the heartless boy he cared for all these years to suddenly remember such things. “…Well I can’t be surprised. I failed in being a knight, after all.”

The prince shakes his head. “You were both my trusted knights. However, Lohengrin did have a penchant for celebration and risk taking. A hedonist, I believed they called him.”

Oh.

Finally Siegfried turns to Rue, letting Ahiru flutter out of his hands. “But you… do not have a previous self in the story. You’ve no images to follow, no predecessor.” He gingerly takes her hands. “But I wish for you to have a place in this story—my story. Will you come back with me, as my princess and as Rue?”

She buries her head in his chest before he hears a response. All four of them can hear her muffled sobs.


	28. Chapter 28

Siegfried searched through the gardens, bushes of roses and sunflowers towering over him as he glanced this way and that.

“My princesses?” he called out. No one answered, so he continued to make his way through the gardens, the sun warm on his back and the fountains shooting out waterfalls that brushed his face in a cool mist.

Eventually he spotted Rue running to him as her hands carried the large bell of her gown and her cheeks were rosy from exertion. He cast a smile, and held out his arms for her to fall in.

“I haven’t found her yet,” she panted, catching her breath. “But I think she may be hiding over by the oak tree. It’s her favorite spot.”

Siegfried nodded before taking her hand in his.

Around the hill, through the white gates, behind the rose bushes, and several minutes later they found their daughter crouched behind the familiar oak tree, her hands gently cradling.

“What do you have there?” Siegfried asked. Rue released his hand to draw to the young child, taking a step back a moment later to gasp quietly. He only understood what caused his wife the shock a moment later when his daughter turned to him and revealed a small crow chick in her hands.

“Look!” she exclaimed. “Isn’t he cute?”

“He’s…” Siegfried wasn’t sure what to say. His eyes flitted over the small creature before glancing up into the child’s eyes. “My princess, it’s dangerous to hold an animal’s baby, for the mother may be around. What do you think would happen if your mother found a stranger holding you so close?”

The little girl smiled sadly. “He doesn’t have a momma. I watched his nest from my window yesterday and he fell down this morning… there’s no momma. Oh please, can I keep him, Father? He will make terrific friends with the swans! Please?” she begged, giving the prince her best pleading face.

“Ah…” Cautiously, Siegfried glimpsed over to Rue. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes were fully locked on the small crow in her daughter’s hands. She held her silence for several long moments.

And then, she finally answered for her husband. “I suppose, if you wish. But you must remember one important thing, if you want to raise a raven.”

“What is that?”

“You must love them. Even if you have said it once, you must say it a thousand times more. Greet them with love, speak to them with love, and part from them with love, for a creature should never be denied of it. Do you understand this?”

“Mmhmm!”

By her side, Siegfried smiled. And together, all hand in hand with the crow in the girl’s arms, the family strolled back up to the castle grounds.


	29. Chapter 29

**Prompt: Eating really fancy food**

Ahiru wrinkled her nose in distaste as she stared at the dish in front of her. “You mean these are SNAILS?”

Without batting an eye, Fakir took the small fork to remove the escargot and eat it properly, clearly having experience with the dish. He wished she wouldn’t make such a fuss in the middle of a nice restaurant. “In essence.”

This time Ahiru made a gagging noise. “Snails? Really? Ugh! That sounds so… gross.”

Her date gave her a flat look before replying swiftly.

"I’ve seen you eat waterbugs."

She quieted after that.


	30. Chapter 30

**Prompt: Snow Bunnies**

It wasn’t something Ahiru planned on, but during the first spring of her new duck life she made friends with a family of rabbits. They ate lettuce, played around, and spent the days napping with the duck as Fakir sat by the docks busy with his writing.

That coming winter, Ahiru stayed with Fakir while the other ducks flew, and her dear family of rabbits went and burrowed for hibernation. He could tell she missed them in the way she gathered freshly fallen snow with her wings, piling together and attempting to mold in the likeness of said family on the coldest days. She was no artist. They looked rather sad and pathetic, and that was when Fakir chuckled to himself and drew to her, pressing snow in his hands and holding a small snow bunny after some moments.


	31. Chapter 31

**Prompt: Fakir as a charismatic stripper and Ahiru as an innocent customer visiting a strip bar for the very first time**

There was something inexplicably charismatic about the way the strange dark haired stripper glared at Ahiru as she sat down with her friends.

"Oh, buy her a lap dance!" The blonde screeched as she put her hands together.

Ahiru shrank in her seat when he continued glaring at her. Or maybe that was his normal face. Either way it was very charismatic.

Once Pique handed him the money Fakir stuffed it in his jock strap, turned around, and began to furiously twerk in Ahiru’s lap.


	32. Chapter 32

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru, getting caught on the library closet**

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TWO TO KEEP IT DOWN—"

The creak of a door opening. The sound of a mortified gasp. The hurried shuffling of clothes, the squeak of an apology, the scarlet flush to three faces—

Autor immediately spins around, hoping to some deity out there that they hadn’t damaged the books too much.


	33. Chapter 33

**Prompt: Ahiru/Rue - swim team AU**

Rue looked unsure as she stepped into the water, hugging her arms about herself and glancing to Ahiru with a raised eyebrow and spoke: “I don’t see how it’s so easy for you…”

Ahiru giggled in turn, as she had been compared to an aquatic animal like a duck before with her swimming skills and clumsy antics on land, before reaching out to take Rue’s hands and pull her further into the swimming pool. “Don’t worry if you don’t get it right at first; we’ll practice as long as you need, and I’ll be right here in case you need help!”


	34. Chapter 34

**Prompt: Fakir/Ahiru - World War II Germany AU**

Ahiru could feel her throat closing up as Fakir stood before her in the uniform he’d been issued from the draft; it was now a reality that he was leaving, perhaps for a long time, maybe even—-no, she wasn’t going to think it.

“I—I, ah, I brought a—-here,” she tripped over her words as well as the contents of her bag, before finding what she was looking for and drawing out and putting it in his hands: a simple black and white portrait photograph of herself she had taken just a few days before. It wasn’t much, and maybe it was cliché since  _everyone_  was doing it and maybe he wouldn’t even want to look at her weird face at all that much and maybe he’d just glance away with an embarrassed look and say she shouldn’t have—but those thoughts are immediately wiped away when he shyly replaces her hands with a small photo of his own, and she buries her face in his chest to hide the tears.


	35. Chapter 35

**Prompt: Lysander/Hermia - date**

The first time she took him to a simple waltz lesson, it was with a lot of blushing and stammering that Lysander admitted he practically had two left feet and thus would only disappoint her. Hermia blushed in turn, but then laughed and said it didn’t matter; spending time together was enough. 

He ended up accidentally stomping on her big toe and she had to skip the next two days of ballet practice to let it heal up.

The first time he took her to an art museum, her fingers toyed nervously with each other as she glanced away and confessed that she didn’t understand much of what the curator was talking about. He said it was fine; just looking at the statues together with her was enough.

As they were exiting the building her injured toe throbbed and she tripped over a display of pots, crashing to pieces on the floor.

The next date they spent cleaning up the museum.


	36. Chapter 36

**Prompt: Ms. Goatette - insecurity**

She sits at the pizzeria for a few hours after Mr. Cat has already left, idly chewing the paper menu between her teeth. Being completely rejected wasn’t something a person had to live through every day, and for very superficial reasons at that.

Maybe she needed a makeover.


	37. Chapter 37

**Prompt: Mytho/Rue - Tarantism: The urge to overcome melancholy by dancing.**

In truth, the incident with Anteaterina and Mytho was not, in fact, the first time it happened. 

Mytho was a puppet doll, so it was only natural for him to be swayed by the strings of someone else every once in a while. It didn’t bother Rue, not sincerely. For she knew in reality he never loved them. If a girl asked how he felt about Rue, he would answer honestly. (“ _I don’t know._ ”) If they asked him to go out with them, he would answer pliantly. (“ _Okay_.”) Eventually the euphoria from dating one of the most popular dancers in school as well as the rumors died away, and Rue and Mytho would go back to being perceived as the official couple, just as the way things should be. 

It didn’t bother her, not really.

But sometimes it was a cruel reminder. 

Mytho was never dishonest. He truly did not know how he felt about Rue. She could tell him to love her as many times as she wished and he could answer to please her, but it did not supply real emotions into the empty space in his chest.

Sometimes Rue found herself dwelling on that fact for a little too long. 

She stood before the mirror in the corner of a practice room during one such moment, her leg stretched over the barre as she closed her eyes and breathed. 

Then, a soft sound gave away someone else entering the room, and she turned. Mytho stood at the door silently, apparently registering her purpose. “Rue.”

She didn’t reply at first, continuing to stretch. 

"Are we going to dance, Rue?"

He must have assumed so, since they always danced together if he ever came across her stretching. There wasn’t any particular reason for them  _not_ to, and she always yearned for time with her prince. 

But today she frowned. “I would have thought you’d rather dance with—” Rue blinked at the sudden bitterness in her voice she clearly did not expect, and then pursed her lips and sighed. This was stupid. She was acting stupid. 

Mytho only looked at her with muted eyes, stepping forward to stand next to her. Wordlessly, he held his hand out. Rue’s eyes fell to his fingers, before glancing into his own. Without thinking, she blurted out: “Do you love me?”

"I don’t know."

Rue flinched and looked away, unable to explain her poor mood. This has happened before. She didn’t care before. But for now…

"… Just tell me you love me."

"Okay," he answered. "I love you."

She reached out and took his hand. 


	38. Chapter 38

She only wanted him to say it once, just let her hear it  _once_ , it had been so long since the words formed on his lips and calmed her heart like a comforting blanket of warmth. His eyes were turning cruel, a dark tint that reflected the venom of blood in his veins. She had to remind herself that he was turning into her true prince. But it was difficult when he no longer said those words that she used to kiss from his lips. 

When she finally brought up the courage to ask, his expression turned contemptuous, sneering, like he was laughing at her.

 _Please_ , she had said with a quiet voice,  _won’t you say it just once?_

"Oh, Kraehe…" His own voice was low, taunting, as he took her chin and tilted her head, pressing his thumb against her lips. "If only there was someone out there who loved you."


	39. Chapter 39

The curtains were drawn, but a few strips of light managed to seep through and fall down over the bed sheets. Normally something like that wouldn’t have bothered the girl occupying the bed, but in that moment she was in a position she would have rather not shifted from. And as the light grew more intense, annoyingly finding just the right spot over her eyes, she whined openly and stuffed her face into his chest.

… His chest.

Her blue eyes snapped open. And then as the memories came swirling back into the front of her mind, the girl’s cheeks began radiating a furious shade of red. And she was suddenly reminded of how sore she was and… what caused it. Strong hands, soft lips, bite marks up and down her arms…

Before she could think anymore, though, he started shifting slightly, and the girl held her breath for a moment as she watched. She was still pressed closely to him with her hands resting in between their bodies, not wanting to move. After a few seconds, his own eyes opened, dazedly drawing themselves to the figure right before him.

…

And immediately his face burst with a similar color, pulling the girl’s arm so her head rested below his chin. She couldn’t quite see his expression with that arrangement, but that was likely the result he was aiming for in the first place.

She spoke against his neck, heart pounding and her voice slightly wavering.

“W-we… we really… ah…”

“… Yeah.”

She looked up at him without moving her head, her knuckles on her lip and blush dashing her cheeks. “You’re… not mad?”

He looked at her for a moment, and then made an unpleasant noise that sounded like a scoff. “Why would I be?”

“Well, I mean…” she paused for a moment, thinking, “… I dunno, you always seem to find  _something_  to be mad at me about, so…”

The girl didn’t see him lifting his eyebrow but she did feel the snaking of his arms around her torso, pulling her in even closer. His next word brushed against the stubborn lick of hair sticking above her head. “… Stupid.”

And at that, she couldn’t help but start giggling.

“… What’s so funny?”

The question only made her burst into a fit, shaking against his chest and wiping her eyes. “Well, I mean,” she started, traces of her laughter sprinkling over her words, “I was just… remembering the first time we met face to face. If I went back in time and told my past self that that stupid jerk face who kept being mean to Mytho would eventually… that I would… with  _him_ …” She stifled a laugh against her palm. “It’s just… it’s  _funny_.”

He gave the girl an unamused look, before supplying his own rebuttal. “Not nearly as funny as watching a bumbling little idiot stumbling over her words because she made Mytho injure himself.”

With a prominent pout, she shoved against him. “W-Well, you were mean and said it was pointless! Ah—sorry…” she added at hearing his winded groan, still sore and exhausted from the previous night.

“Maybe if you could—nnh—stand on your own  _feet_ …” he wheezed out, holding his abdomen where she pushed against him.

She closed her eyes petulantly, suddenly satisfied with his discomfort. “That’s what you get.”

“Hmph.”

…

Eventually the silence fell once again, the two characters molding into one another’s holds. It slowly drew itself into a peaceful picture, and she breathed lightly against his chest as she allowed more memories of hours prior to play before her closed eyelids.

After several relaxing minutes, she heard him mumble against the top of her head. “… You snore.”

She opened her eyes, brows furrowing. And immediately she became defensive. “I do not.”

“Yes you do. Loudly.”

“Nu-uh!” Once again the girl pulled her head away from him and pushed back, getting a good look at his smug face and greeting it with a mope. “Liar!”

But as she pushed, he only playfully tightened his hold. “Nope. You snored back when you were a duck, and you certainly snore as a girl.”

At that, her mouth fell open, eyebrows creased and face reddening. “Y-You’ve never said I snored when I was a—you’re a _liar!_ ” And to emphasize her point, she brought up both hands and squished her palms against his face, pushing with whatever little strength she had left. He never mentioned  _anything_  about snoring. He was just being a jerk, right? Otherwise, she may really have been making obnoxious noises right next to his face all night long… just right after they were so…

Giving a grunt, he grabbed her wrists to free his face, sending her an unamused frown.

And she only huffed in response. “Why didn’t you ever say anything then?” She figured that after spending so many nights by his bed as a duck, he’d get sick of it  _fast_.

Not letting go of her hands, he replied, “Because it was stupidly adorable.”

… Well. She couldn’t stop the blush from overtaking her face as her gaze fell away from his. It wasn’t exactly something he would say every day. Swallowing and feeling the heat radiating off her face, she quietly asked, “Y-You mean as a duck, or as a…”

“Both.” He said it quite simply, dragging her arms back toward him and reinstating his previous hold on her. But this time the girl didn’t put up any resistance, instead allowing her to melt and sigh against his skin, still feeling quite worn out.

Gradually, she felt his breathing start to slow down and even out, and when she glanced up, she noted his sleeping face. Exhaling through her nose, she lifted up one dainty finger to press against his cheek. She had never spent overnight with anyone before, so she didn’t know that she may have had a habit like that. What else would she find out about him, and herself…

But a moment later, he started releasing his own crude snores, and she blew out her cheeks before pressing her palm against his face not unlike before.

Hypocritical  _jerk…!_


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to the previous chapter.

It almost scares her, really. How little she knows about herself.  
  
It wasn’t ever something that concerned Ahiru before; she actually thought that she knew everything there  _was_  to know about herself. Who could know her better than her own self, after all?  
  
Unfortunately, that belief was slowly starting to prove false. And it all started the moment Fakir told her that she was, indeed, a snorer.  
  
“I found another one last night,” he said some days later, his eyes not lifting up from the writing desk.  
  
The girl blinked and tilted her head. “Another what?”  
  
He continued to write, and it’s always so hard to know what he’s thinking when he says something weird like that. But then he answered. “Another birthmark.”  
  
Another tilt of the head, accompanied by a cheek scratch. Birthmark—like the one he had across his chest? That was… really strange, because even though she’d seen—well,  _all_  of him by now, she’d never noticed anything else that looked like what he had—  
  
But her thoughts were interrupted by a creak of the chair, and she lifts her eyes up to see him looking back at her. And then his lips gave an unexpected slight curl. “Under your left breast.”  
  
…  
  
It took a few moments of the redhead just standing there before she feels a rush of heat dive straight up her neck and flush her cheeks. “W-What?”  
  
“It was hard to notice at first. I almost missed it.”  
  
“B-buh—wait—!?” She could only sputter out nonsense as the information finally sunk in. Under her… wait, was that why he kept k-kissing there—?!  
  
Fakir simply lifted an eyebrow, almost amused. “You sound as if you didn’t know it was there.”  
  
At that, she finally calmed herself enough to give him a flat look. “What are you—I—well of  _course_  I knew it was there!”  
  
But he turned back to his work, and she could tell that he knew it was a lie.  
  
And in a moment of embarrassment, she spun around on her feet to lift her shirt up, trying to peek as discretely as possible. But after a moment, she sighed in defeat at the newfound revelation.  
  
It really does scare her, sometimes.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short addendum to [this very old fanfic](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6984354/1/It-Can-Go-Both-Ways).

Rue was unsteady on her feet as she slowly made her way back to her building, arms softly crossed over her abdomen. She wasn’t exactly sure why it took so long for her start heading back, but night had long fallen over the campus and she could only see by the light of the moon.  
  
The heat had long died down. In the moment, she felt neither love nor hate. She… wasn’t exactly sure what she was feeling, really. But she should get back to her room and sleep.  
  
It was with that thought that Rue looked up from watching her shoes on the ground and saw a familiar face standing before her. And she stopped in her tracks, slightly confused at his appearance.  
  
“Mytho?” She wanted to ask what he was doing there, but she already knew the response.  _I don’t know._  
  
It was strange for the heartless boy to be standing idly somewhere without his knight or his girlfriend. She wondered how long he’s stood there, or how he came to be in that spot before her building.  
  
But… no, it didn’t matter. He was there, right in front of her. That was all she needed.  
  
The prince gave no reaction as Rue stepped forward and, in a different gesture she had never done before, leaned her face into the top of his chest.  
  
“Mytho,” she said, words slightly muffled by the fabric of his uniform, “hold me.”  
  
He said nothing. Did nothing.  
  
He never will.  
  
Thinking about it made her release a frustrated noise. And she forcefully gripped both of his wrists, knowing that he wouldn’t wince or blink at the unfamiliar behavior, and placed the both of them below her shoulders. Placing them at her waist would only make him assume that they were to dance a  _pas de deux_. But her arms were fine. She could feel the coolness of his fingers, making no move to lift her, but idly hold her.  
  
“… Stay like this,” she commanded.   
  
And he obeyed.


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for Princess Tutu's 10th Anniversary

The lone writer sits at the dock of the lake, quill and parchment in hand. He breathes the cold air into his lungs, letting the sunset fuel his inspiration. Pinks, reds, oranges, and even blues mix together in a pallet across the sky, and soon enough his hand is scrawling fast across the paper.

His ears catch the sound of a quack in the distance. Lifting his gaze, he watches as the full grown duck leads her small ducklings across the lake, their little legs propelling furiously in the water to keep up with their mother.

The scene manages to bring a smile to his face, as they have been able to come easier to him in the last ten years.

He leans back in his chair, only to feel a small pressure take place on his shoulder. A quick glance reveals a thin hand, its ring finger donning a golden band that glistened in the evening sun. Keeping the soft smile on his face, he reaches up to place his own larger hand over hers, glancing up at her.

“You’ve been sitting out here all day,” she begins, long red hair flowing lightly with the breeze down her back. “I made dinner—and I promise I didn’t mess up this time!” she amends at the last moment. “It’s just, today’s really special, so…”

“It’s a nice sunset,” he says, turning his gaze back over to the horizon. “Let’s watch for a bit.”

She nods, reflecting his smile with one of her own, before turning to admire the scenery. “Ah—Mrs. Ente’s ducklings have hatched!” she exclaims, pointing over to the waterfowl across the lake with the hand that wasn’t being held by her lover. “I’m so glad. They look really energetic!”

He gives the noncommittal reply of “Hn,” paying close attention to the way the mother duck attended to her young while keeping a certain someone at the front of his mind. After several long moments, he speaks up again. “Who knows. That might be us someday.”

There’s a long pause as she processes this.

She tilts her head, the words coming slow out of her mouth. “Us? With… the ducklings?”

He sighs through his nose and then guides her by the hand to all but yank her into sitting on his lap. “Wah—!” she yelps, her legs kicking out. Once she finds her bearings, she throws him a pout. “What was that for? I’m not as energetic as I used to be!”

He wraps his hands around her, his own golden band clinking against hers. “Nevermind. Dinner can wait. Let’s just watch for a bit.”

Wriggling, she eventually makes herself comfortable and settles in his lap, her hand holding his. She throws him another pout for good measure, an expression that has never left her. But eventually she relaxes, and leans her head on his shoulder as they gaze out over the way the disappearing sun reflects over the still waters. “Mm…this is nice.”


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pseudo-crossover with Perfect Blue.

“Good morning, everyone!”

She opens the window locks with a grin on her face, feeling the gust of wind through her jacket flaps and the impact of hundreds of her friends hitting against her torso. Falling back with a  _thud_  on her bottom, a giggle escapes her as she reaches for the chipped bowl of bird seed, already feeling the strands of hair loosening from her braid.

“You guys sure are hungry a lot,” she says while dusting the down feathers off her freckled nose, and turns over to refill the bowl. Yes, mornings like this were what she missed. But everything is normal now. She can just forget about those strange memories, maybe take a nice long bath, and maybe she can even talk to her teacher again later.

But then she turns around and it’s quiet. Everything stops. She doesn’t blink.

Her windowsill is suddenly cluttered with birds—the same birds, but flopped over and stiff and unmoving. Their wings don’t flap in greeting. Their beaks don’t open in song. They’re dead. That’s all they are. Just dead and on her windowsill.

Ahiru stares for several long moments.

Then she glances up to the window and sees  _her_ —white feathers dotting her cheeks and necklace perched over her collarbone and cruel blue eyes that are wide open but they’re  _her_  eyes and it’s just the window’s reflection staring back at her but she can  _see_ the tutu decorating her thin waist.

Ahiru screams, hurling the green bowl out of her hands and shattering the clear glass. She cries and shouts and screams as she sends lamps and furniture careening over her room and she swears they’re really there because she won’t wake up to a clean room, not again. She can feel Tutu reach and choke her, fingers digging mercilessly into her pulse, but it’s just the lump in her throat swelling until she can’t force out a whimper. 


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Autor and Rue, 67%

He is used to expressing himself with his hands, not his feet. So when Rue saunters over and gently takes his fingers from the piano keys and leads him out to the floor, Autor hopes she doesn’t expect anything particularly mind-blowing. 

Unlike most  _pas de deux_  where the man would lead the woman, Rue is the one to guide his actions. She may have been able to briefly turn Ahiru into a graceful dancer once upon a time, but it seems nothing could break Autor from his awkward movements and shuffles of his inexperienced feet as he holds her by the waist. 

Rue comes back down from an arabesque as the dance comes to a close, the box of her shoes pressed to the floor before she smoothly lowers down to the flat of her feet. He tries to decipher her thoughts through her eyes. 

"Decent, for a first time," she says, smoothing a hand along his shoulder. "But if it were a real test in the classroom, I would have to give you 67%."

Autor doesn’t even question why on earth she would pick such a specific number. Adjusting his glasses, he merely replies, “As much as I’d detest receiving such a low grade, I think I would much rather stick to providing you with your music from now on.”


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Ahiru and Rue, In the Storm

The bell of Rue’s extravagant dress is already soaked and the edges caked in mud by the time they find refuge underneath a tree. Ahiru leans against the trunk, catching her breath and her hand still clutched tightly around Rue’s. 

They meant to just take a stroll around the lake one day when Rue and her prince came back to Goldkrone for a visit—Ahiru really wanted to introduce Rue to her duck friends—but she hadn’t expected to rain all of a sudden. It felt like the sky was completely clear just a few minutes ago! 

"Ahhhh, I’m sorry, Rue!" Ahiru turns to her friend, and abruptly quacks out loud in shock when she sees the state of her elegant dress. "Oh no, Rue, I’m _really_  sorry! I must have gone over some mud when we were running—!” Practically tripping over herself, she gets down on her knees before Rue and scrunches up the bottom of her own light dress in her hand, beginning to fervently scrub at the dirtied cloth.

"Wha—" She moves so fast, Rue has to blink before registering just what it is her friend is doing. "Ahiru, really!" Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink. "It’s fine, don’t worry about cleaning it, especially if you’ll just get yourself dirty in the process." 

But Ahiru fervently shakes her head, and continues wiping down the mud. “It’s my fault we got stuck in this storm, so… I can’t let your dress get ruined!” Rue deserves the most beautiful and clean dresses, after all. 

On the outside Rue gives the smallest huff, hoping to get it across that it really isn’t necessary to so diligently tend to her clothing when she can just as easily replace it. Inside, however… she still is unsure how to properly respond to someone fervently trying to rain positive attentions down on her. It’s a strange sensation in her chest—albeit not one unwelcomed. 

When Ahiru’s finished doing the best she can to recover what was once the most beautiful and dazzling dress she’d ever seen, Rue can only chuckle lightly to herself and reach out to wipe a smudge of dirt from her freckled nose in silent gratitude. 


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fakir and Ahiru, Obsession

Ahiru’s favorite snack to indulge in during her duck days was, by far, mealworms. 

It never failed to put a small smile on Fakir’s face whenever she eagerly swam up to him after spotting the treat in his hands. And it only grew wider when she pecked and ate almost ravenously, making sure to get every single morsel, no matter how tiny. She would even continue nibbling on his hand after it was all gone, and he’d have to draw his hand away (she would give a squawk in protest, but then quiet when he reached down to gently pat her head). 

Fakir wasn’t sure just what it was about mealworms that turned Ahiru almost wild, but he enjoyed being able to make her day special during the quiet and uneventful months.

As a duck, it was cute and endearing. 

As a girl… not so much.

But Ahiru was insistent on indulging in her snack even after regaining a human form once again. Now she could even go out and buy them herself, instead of waiting for Fakir to bring them once every week or so. Every day, she could be seen with a hand dug deep into a bag before popping a clump of maggot-looking things into her mouth and giving a satisfied  _crunch_ that would make him wince.

Fakir was sure that mealworms couldn’t possibly be healthy to her anymore in a human form, and so once attempted to store them high above in a cabinet she couldn’t reach. But it wasn’t enough to deter a determined girl from her obsession. He would still catch her climbing up chairs and shelves to get at the prize, and when she slipped off and nearly broke her neck on one occasion Fakir finally gave in and took them down, letting her have as much as she wanted. 

(However once they started dating, Fakir refused to share any kisses if he could still smell the pungent stink on her lips.)


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fakir/Rue, Biting Kiss

She still manages to surprise him every once in a while with a sharp nip to the tongue. They could be kissing contentedly, both relaxing with her arms slung over his shoulders, before abruptly he’d feel her teeth clamp down and he’d jolt back with a yelp. Affronted, he would then wait for her to stop giggling.

“I don’t see why you find that so damn amusing.”

“Careful,” she would tease, “with that sharp tongue of yours. Or I’ll do it again.”


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Mytho/Ahiru, Cheek Kiss (or rather Beak Kiss)

After Rue had a moment to thank Ahiru for everything she did, holding the small duck tenderly in her arms while whispering how she truly loved her, the prince then requested he have an opportunity to give his thanks one more time before they departed.

She fit just so in the palms of his hands, and he offered a gentle smile. “Thank you, Ahiru,” he said. “You’ve helped us all so much.”

Carefully, with the grace of a true prince, he leaned down and delicately placed a kiss to the top of her beak. When he drew back he watched her eyes widen as her face abruptly turned pink. She couldn’t quite stop herself from flailing.

“Q—qua—!”

As the duck gave her every effort to calm down the other two stood off to the side, with Rue beaming and Fakir’s lips curving as he murmured a low ‘moron’ to himself.


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Mytho/Rue, Spiderman Kiss

Rue was in the middle of her daily promenade through the gardens, her hands holding up the front of her skirts, when her prince suddenly fell from the sky.

Or somewhat fell, rather.

With a startled yelp, Rue jumped in alarm when Siegfried abruptly appeared before her, hanging upside down from the tree branches above. His downy white hair was mussed with leaves, and his crown somehow managed to stay firmly placed at the top of his head, as if by magic.

After getting over the initial shock, she couldn’t help but feel a little tickled when her prince then  _blushed_.

“… I suppose I lost my balance,” he said sheepishly, glancing down (or rather up) to the branch that barely managed to save him from a more violent descent, snagging on one of his boots.

Rue glanced up as well, and caught sight of a small nest of baby birds. Knowing him, one of them must have fallen out and he’d taken it upon himself to return it to its family, climbing up the large tree dressed in princely garb and all.

Some things never changed.

Beaming, she stepped forward to cup him behind the ears and leaned forward to deliver a chaste kiss to his lips, a “gift to their hero,” she referred to it as she drew back. Returning her smile in full, Siegfried once again seemed a little embarrassed.

“I wouldn’t want you to get hurt, my princess; if you could step back, I may fall at any certain mo—”

He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence though, as the branch finally gave way and he proceeded to do just that.


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Autor/Rue, Out Cold

Auditions are coming up soon in Goldkrone Academy and Rue has employed Autor as her accompaniment, and so for the next several weeks he grows used to the schedule of countless diligent hours of dancing his fingers across the piano keys while the ballerina dances her feet across the floor. 

He glances over the rim of his glasses while in the middle of one of their private rehearsals, having played the etude so many times now that he rarely has to reference the music sheet anymore. His hands move fluidly as he watches Rue move into an arabesque, noting the sweat trickling down the back of her neck and the healthy flush to her cheeks.

It continues on like this for another half hour until she feels satisfied and begins to perform cooling down exercises by the barre, turning over her shoulder to thank Autor for his time and that he is free to go, as if this is some impersonal business arrangement and not a boyfriend happily supplying music for his girlfriend. The corner of his lips curve as he breathes out a small chuckle through his nose and closes his sheet music book. Someone else may have been offended or felt awkward with Rue’s behavior, but Autor knows her well enough to understand she doesn’t care to pay much attention to social rules when her mind is fully focused on her dancing. Even as she cools down she goes through each exercise meticulously, concentrating on the basics. 

Autor doesn’t pack up and leave, though. Instead he feels his hands wandering back to the piano keys and begins playing a simple and slow melody, a far cry from the intense etude from several minutes ago. It’s not a piece from any particular score, but an improvisation, giving him the faint feeling of relaxing outside with a good book. 

He doesn’t notice at first when Rue steps up from behind, but he does feel her hand coming to rest on his shoulder, and he pauses to glance up to her.

"… No, keep playing it," she murmurs quietly. "I like it."

Autor smiles again, more gently this time, and turns back to resume. He feels her using his shoulder for balance as she sits herself next to him on the bench, her breathing heavy from the workout. 

Because there is no arranged score, there is no arranged ending, and Autor engrosses in playing the simple, calm melody for what feels like hours, simply letting his fingers make the decisions. The sun is in the middle of setting when he feels pressure yet again on his shoulder, only this time it’s the side of her head as she innocently nods off and leans on him. Again he pauses for a moment, which causes her stir with a slurred mumble. 

Autor smiles a third time, and continues to play. 


	51. Chapter 51

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From otpprompts: _Imagine your OTP live together in a house but aren’t romantically together. One cold winter day Person A wakes up in Person B’s arms and is told they sleepwalked there. A is mortified and jumps out of bed while B is more upset that their personal heater left._

Ahiru had never known Fakir as a person who walked in his sleep. Talking, sure. She remembered moments fondly of the days she spent as a duck, burrowing herself in a basket on the desk next to his bed and overhearing soft mumbles as he turned over his side, but never did he actually sit up and start walking about.

That was why it didn’t immediately occur to her that that was the case when her door opened late one night and suddenly there was a weight next to her in the bed. She blearily rubbed at her eyes, and then squeaked in surprise when a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her in against a warm chest. Now very much fully awake, it only took Ahiru a few moments before she realized just who snuck into her bed and started clinging to her.

“Fakir…?”

For a moment Ahiru wondered if he perhaps just made a mistake when coming home late one night, and in his exhaustion, forgot which door led to his room. But then that wouldn’t explain why he very specifically sought her out to grab onto.

“Fakir?” she asked again when he didn’t respond the first time, her eyebrows drawing forward. Why wasn’t he answering her?

Tentatively she reached out and poked her index finger against his cheek. Still, he didn’t say anything. In fact his only response was to make a rather crude noise with his nose, something Ahiru immediately recognized as a snore.

 _Could it be that he’s asleep…? Even when he walked just now?_ She watched him incredulously for a few moments. He’d never done such a thing before now, but there really was no other explanation for his weird behavior.

For the moment Ahiru decided to just let him be, curling her hands underneath her chin and watching him closely. Perhaps it would have been better if she gently woke him up and told him what happened so he could go into his own room, but… she found herself hesitating.

Studying the way his chest rose and fell and his eyelids slightly twitching every once in a while, Ahiru became lost in thought. In truth, maybe the real reason she didn’t want to wake him up was because she missed these sort of moments. As a duck, Fakir never minded letting her sleep in his room - usually nesting in a small basket, but sometimes there would be an occasion where she hopped over and shared his pillow. He held her in the crook of his arm during the day too, safe and nestled while they went on their daily walks to the lake.

Then circumstances changed where she regained her human form again, and almost immediately Ahiru felt the difference in closeness. Maybe it was a little selfish - Charon and Fakir had been so nice to continue offering her room and board in their spare bedroom even when she had a human form. But some nights she would wake up and find herself missing such moments where she could seek out his warmth without guilt.

So maybe just for tonight, she could selfishly keep quiet and let herself enjoy the inexplicable comfort Fakir always brought whenever he was close. And when his hands shifted on her back, she began to wonder just why it felt so different to be held as a girl instead of a duck. Soon enough, however, her eyelids once again fell heavy and sleep claimed her.

*

Just like the night before, it was Fakir shifting around in her bed that woke Ahiru up several hours later. She sleepily blinked her eyes open to see his own staring down at her.

She gave a lazy smile, not quite fully lucid yet. “G’mornin’, Fakir.”

“G—” he stumbled over before jolting straight up, the static giving his hair a rather comical look. “What are you doing in here?”

Ahiru frowned. Fakir’s closeness had been so warm, why did he have to sit up and move away? She whined in protest. “ ‘S not your room, you’re the one who came in here and suddenly started grabbing at me and everything…”

“I—” She watched as his face exploded in color. “I did  _what_?”

Ahiru probably would have understood his mortification better if she hadn’t still been half-asleep, but at that moment her biggest concern was the loss of what had made a really nice personal heater.


	52. Chapter 52

Rue always preferred to hear words of love. She’d been taught the ballet mime for love years ago, but whenever she was by Mytho’s side she would command “tell me you love me” and let it echo in her ears on long nights when sleep couldn’t find her. She wanted to hear it. She needed to hear it.

But as she delicately held the little duck in her hands and whispered “I love you, Ahiru,” she didn’t need to hear those words in return. She could see it clearly in those deep blue eyes, a sweet love aimed right for her heart, kind and warm and enveloping. It almost brought her to tears all over again.

“I love you,” she said once more as she brought her into an embrace. “I love you so much, Ahiru.”

She didn’t need to hear words when she had such soft feathers clinging around her neck.


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by an ask sent by Das: _Fakir finds out he's going to be a dad because Ahiru goes into nesting mode and starts collecting tons of blankets and pillows and such when they're out and constantly worries that they don't have enough food in the house and gets super emotional whenever she sees little kids and he gets so overwhelmed he nearly faints but luckily aHIRU HAS TONS OF BLANKETS AND PILLOWS BECAUSE SEE SHE'S SUCH A GOOD MOM ALREADY_

“I have no idea what’s with her lately.”

Autor goes ahead and orders another drink from the bar, as there’s no such thing as brevity whenever Fakir muses about Ahiru and their relationship for whatever reason. “Do tell.”

Fakir runs a hand through his hair and sighs exasperatedly. “About a week ago she’s started stashing our linens and pillows around the house and for the life of me I can’t figure out why. We’ll go to sleep with a fully made bed yet I’ll wake up in the morning to her gathering them all up like a bowl in the corner of the room. And whenever I ask her what the hell she’s doing she’ll change the subject to how we actually need to buy  _more_ blankets. And now she’s started hoarding  _food_ everywhere.” He grumbles a low murmur, taking another swig of his drink. “She’s just acting ridiculous all around.”

“Sounds very troubling, indeed,” Autor says over the brim of his mug. “Perhaps you’ve done something to incite this behavior.”

Fakir frowns. “If I’ve done something to piss her off, she’s never had trouble bluntly telling me so before.”

Oh, boy. Autor rolls his eyes, but can’t help finding Fakir’s troubles mildly entertaining. “I mean something that would have caused a  _direct reaction_.”

By the impatient glare Fakir is throwing at him, he still hasn’t figured it out.

The corner of Autor’s lip twitches. “For someone who constantly calls her an idiot, you’re rather slow on the uptake yourself, aren’t you? Your wife is most likely pregnant, ‘ _moron_ ,’” he says, dropping his voice to imitate Fakir with the last word.

The other man growls and practically slams his mug on the hard wood. “I could do with less  _mocking_ , you—” Then the words finally hit him, and his eyes widen to saucers.

“Oh, my god.”


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to last fic, also inspired by an ask sent by Das: _no but fakir confronting ahiru about babies and being a dad (i'm sorry i'm having a lot of papkir/mamahiru feels right now)_

Fakir is still reeling when he arrives home, stumbling over the threshold before closing the door and leaning his back against it.

Pregnant. Ahiru is  _pregnant_.

_He stares ahead with his mouth agape for what feels like minutes before he can finally summon words again. “Is that seriously what’s happening?”_

_“I can only assume,” replies Autor, taking another sip as if he hasn’t a care in the world._

_“Shouldn’t she be acting differently then? Cravings, morning sickness, something that’s not… hoarding blankets.”_

_“Don’t go forgetting she was originally a duck. Would it be so surprising that she could still retain some of her former instincts?” It is so obvious how much Autor is enjoying this, and Fakir is almost tempted to wipe that smugness off his face except for the fact that he really has no other leads. “The blankets are most likely a nest for her young, and the food is to sustain her as she prepares to potentially spend weeks sitting in the same spot.”_

_The blood drains from Fakir’s face. “Oh, my god,” he says once again, and not for the last time that evening. In fact it continues to fall from his lips every so often as he makes his way back home._

Leaning against the front door, he drags his hands over his face. “Oh, my god,” comes out muffled against his palms one more time for the night as he gathers his bearings.

When he enters their bedroom, he sees that Ahiru has already gathered up her hoard of blankets for the day, and is even dozing on them, curled into a little ball in the corner. His eyes soften at the rather ridiculous and yet endearing sight, drifting closer before he crouches down before her.

She has no idea what’s causing her odd behavior. Fakir knows this with certainty, because there’s absolutely no way she could keep such a thing for secret very long. She’s just letting her instincts carry her away, completely none the wiser.

As he gazes down at her sleeping form, Fakir can’t help but think it’s a little backwards for the husband to break the news to the wife of her pregnancy. Isn’t it usually the other way around?

But as he softly strokes two fingers down the side of her face, not unlike the way he did when she was still a duck, Fakir simply accepts that a lot of things about their relationship is already odd enough. What’s one more trait?

When she begins to stir awake he smiles softly down at her, and greets her with gentle eyes. “Hey.”

She looks up at him with sleepy eyes and it really just finally hits him in that moment that this woman is going to be a mother. He is going to be a father.

His expression melts into adoration as she wakes up more and registers where she is. She shows the first sign of embarrassment and tries to blurt out an apology but Fakir interrupts with a soothing, “Nice work. But this could use some more pillows. I’ll pick some up later today.”

Ahiru blinks, and her cheeks blush a light pink. “R… really? You’re not… mad?”

“Nah.” With a short grunt he pushes himself to stand up, his lips in a lopsided smirk. “I’ll humor you for now, but you do know you can’t actually sit on our baby when the time comes.”

“I know,” she sighs. And then pauses.

“… Wait, what?” 


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Ruetho, 'Are you sure?'

She still has nightmares, every once in a while. She’ll wake abruptly in the dead of night, sweat dotting her skin as she realizes she’s clinging sharp fingernails into her husband’s night shirt. 

And he will always be there to comfort her as the dreams dissipate. Siegfried doesn’t ask what her nightmares involve, because he can usually guess.

Holding his wife in his arms, he’ll whisper soothing words to her ear, feeling her dampened hair against his lips. As he feels her drift off again, he breathes, “I love you, my princess,” and she will look up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

The words are a knife digging into his chest every time she asks. 

_"Tell me you love me."_

_"You do love me."_

_"I will make you love only me."_

He gently brushes his fingers to her cheek. “I am,” he reassures quietly. “I love you with every subsequent beat of this heart. Of my own will, I love you.”

She buries her face against his neck and he feels warm tears.


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the anecdote in [this post](http://lyriette.tumblr.com/post/114651693033/stultiloquentia-goliaththecatt-vice-of-virtue).

There was a cold front that night. 

Fakir woke seeing his breath, and sat up in bed rubbing his arms for warmth.  _I’ll have to go out and gather firewood_ , he thought to himself with a small groan.

Leaning over, he drew up his bed sheets, expecting to find a shivering duckling snuggled to his side—but there was no such sight greeting him. “Ahiru?” Fakir glanced around the room, his brows drawing forward. Where was she? The little duck was never very fond of cold weather, being a migratory bird and all, so whenever the air began to chill she would always stick very close to him for his body warmth. The cold front did happen suddenly and intensely, however, so it was always possible she could have left the room sometime in the night.

A quick glimpse out the window proved the hunch correct. Out in the middle of the lake, Fakir could only just make out the small yellow spot that was Ahiru. His shoulders sagged with relief—only to tense up again when he realized something was wrong, from the way her wings flapped erratically about and yet her body remained firmly in place.

Fakir swore underneath his breath and quickly grabbed a thick coat and boots, heading downstairs with loud stomps. The damn water had frozen, completely trapping her in place. That idiot. What was she doing out there so late, and why didn’t she come back when it got too cold for her? Knowing her, she must have fallen asleep while bobbing along the water, only to wake up with her feet frozen underneath the ice.

Moving swiftly, he shoved on his boots and left their cottage, feeling the cold wind sting his face as he dashed over to the edge of the lake. “Ahiru!” he called out. He knew he caught her attention as she began flapping her wings again, quacking in panic. “Wait moron, calm down! I’m coming to get you.”

“Qua- _quack_!” She obviously found offense to the way he addressed her, but eventually retracted her wings back in and sat as still as she could.

Fakir glanced down to the ice and carefully stepped a foot out. It instantly cracked and broke under his weight, soaking his boot in freezing water. Maybe if he tried crawling on all fours…

He heard the cry of a crow.

An ink black bird circled high over their heads, the very image setting Fakir on edge. He already didn’t like the look of it, but when the crow slowly began to lower in altitude…

“Don’t you dare, you bastard,” he growled underneath his breath, fist clenching at his side. There hadn’t been any incidents with crows attacking people in town ever since the story ended, but he still looked at them with contempt anytime he spotted one skulking about in the streets. It was only a single crow flying overhead, but he still felt it as strongly as ever—the tenseness, danger, _helplessness_.

Then, the crow landed right in front of Ahiru.

“NO!” Fakir burst forward, trying to gain footing in vain as the ice only crushed underneath his weight, but he didn’t stop. As he moved further away from shore he waded through freezing water soaking through his clothes, ignoring the numbness that threatened to immediately sink in his muscles.

His eyes widened in terror as it appeared the crow began pecking at the duck.

“AHIRU!” the cry ripped through his throat as he stumbled, breaking through more ice and submerging more of his body into the water as he looked on helplessly. Various memories passed through his mind—faces, voices, his mother reaching out for him, a giant talon making its way toward his heart. It was becoming difficult to move his legs. “ _AHIRU_!”

Fakir wasn’t anywhere close to reaching her, and she was completely trapped at its mercy—and yet in the next moment the crow beat its wings and took flight once again, resounding another shrill cry in the air as it took off for the forest. Not only that, but Ahiru herself was finally free, webbed feet slipping over the ice as she frantically ran for Fakir over the lake, tears streaming from her eyes.

Fakir suddenly didn’t care about the numbness anymore. He scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly to his chest, almost afraid the crow would come back again for round two. He released a shaking sigh in relief, feeling his throat thicken at the way she shivered against his coat before unbuttoning the front and letting her burrow inside. Just now, he could have lost one more loved one to the damn birds.

Eventually he waded his way back out of the lake again, which took much more strength and effort than he wanted to admit.

“Are you all right?” Fakir took a small peek inside his coat, noting that for all the chaos, Ahiru appeared as fine as could be, if not a bit too cold.

His brows furrowed. He could have sworn he had seen that crow attack her.

“Quack! Qua-qua quack qua!” Ahiru gestured with her wings to the forest, in the direction the crow had flown off. Just then Fakir felt he caught onto what she was saying, though he could hardly believe it.

“You don’t think it  _saved_  you, do you?” he murmured in disbelief.

Ahiru looked at him with wide blue eyes, and nodded slowly.

Such a thing just didn’t seem possible, after all the experiences they’ve had with them. But the more he dwelled on it, the more he couldn’t deny the fact that Ahiru held no injuries and was freed from the ice as soon as the crow left.

Fakir gazed over the horizon of trees. If he listened hard enough, he could just barely catch the ugly song of a great dark flock.

“… I suppose it makes sense. The influence of the Monster Raven has been lifted from this place for years, now,” he said, glancing back down to the duck in his arms.

Ahiru nodded again, more vigorously this time. Her eyes seemed to shine, her expression smiling even without lips.

“Qua! Qua-quack!”

Somehow, Fakir felt he knew exactly what she was saying.

_‘I’m so happy! Crows aren’t all inherently bad!’_

Perhaps she was right. Perhaps crows really weren’t always the evil creatures that haunted his dreams and reality. And now they had the chance to live as they were meant to. Knowing Ahiru, she probably wanted to even try making friends with them.

They could ponder over such things later. For now, they needed to return to shelter and seek warmth.

Fakir turned around and began making his way back to the cottage, keeping Ahiru snuggled comfortably in his arms.


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written on mobile

“Here! I wasn’t quite sure how to check, but I hope it’s the right ratio!”

“Thanks, Ahiru.” Fakir reached for her outstretched hand, taking the small shopping bag and checking inside for the new inkwell she bought while out on errands at his request. “It’s just the one I need.”

Ahiru beamed, happy to help out as always. But as Fakir began setting up his desk and opening the cap to test the fresh ink, she found herself lingering at his side, watching closely. Her lip worried between her teeth.

Fakir had just finished scratching a few lines and circles down his parchment when he noticed Ahiru’s still presence, and turned back to her. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not really wrong…”

Fakir simply looked at her in expectation, one eyebrow raised.

She couldn’t meet his gaze and turned her head, but was finally able to blurt out: “Actually could you maybe um– could you do that thing with your hand you used to do a lot? When I was still a duck?”

“… What thing?”

A blush was quickly overcoming her features, sucking away Ahiru’s confidence. She began to babble. “Actually never mind it’s silly you don’t need to I was just remembering how you used to do it whenever I did something you liked or made you happy and I remembered liking it whenever you did it but then you stopped doing it when I became a girl again so maybe it’s just not something you’re supposed to do to other humans and I didn’t think about that until now I was just getting caught up in missing it so never mind–!”

“Ahiru.”

Once she managed to deflate, Fakir looked at her pointedly. Eyes softening, he asked her again, “What thing?”

Her face beet red, Ahiru kept her gaze to her feet as she shyly reached out for his wrist, lifted his forearm, and plopped his hand over the top of her head, her cowlick brushing between his fingers.

Fakir finally understood her request, as well as her embarrassment–of which he now shared a bit. He never thought twice of affectionately patting her on the head back when she was a duck, and also didn’t think much of ceasing the behavior when she regained her human form again. But apparently she noticed, and missed it. From the sound of things, she had come to associate it as a reward for doing something good.

His own face began to heat up, but if it made her happy, who was he to deny her? Awkwardly, he pat his hand over her head, ruffling her feather-like hair. He couldn’t stop the corner of his mouth from twitching into a half-smile. “Dummy…”

Hiding beneath her bangs, Ahiru was too busy beaming to herself to really feel insulted. 


End file.
